TN CM urges Modi not to shut down Central Potato Research Station

Chennai, Dec 6 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Government on Thursday opposed the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)'s move to shut down the Central Potato Research Station (CPRS) and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention on the issue.

In a Demi-Official letter to Mr Modi, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said if the CPRS, functioning at Muthorai in Ooty in Nilgiris district, was shut down it would have detrimental impact on the interest of the Potato farmers of the State and entire South India.

He also requested Mr Modi to direct the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the ICAR not to close the CPRS, Ooty, in order to safeguard the interests of the Potato farmers of the State as well as farmers in other southern States.

Pointing out that potatoes were mainly grown in hilly districts of Dindigul, the Nilgiris, Krishnagiri and Erode districts of Tamil Nadu covering nearly 5,500 hectares, he said the CPRS was founded in 1957 and has been serving the potato farmers for the past 70 years in coordination with the State Government as well as with the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU).